Skindustry Lehigh Valley Tattoo Expo expands to Sands

The eighth annual Skindustry tattoo convention was held at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Saturday, March 14, 2015. (APRIL BARTHOLOMEW / THE MORNING CALL )

Christy PotterSpecial to The Morning Call

Tattoos have come a long way from Popeye's anchor and the iconic heart-bound “Mom.”

Tattoos have come a long way from Popeye's anchor and the iconic heart-bound "Mom." Today's tattoos are bold statements, true works of art, explosions of color and self-expression adorning any body part that can withstand a needle.

Just don't call them "tats."

"Calling them 'tats' kind of lessens what they mean to the person and the whole process of getting and owning them," said longtime Lehigh Valley tattoo artist Steve Lemak, who founded Skindustry Expo, the annual convention that draws tattoo lovers from all walks of life.

The expo, the eighth annual, is set for Friday through Sunday at a new venue, the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, after a run at the Holiday Inn in Fogelsville.

"The move up to the Sands was based on the needs of the show," says Lemak, who owns The Quillian, a tattoo and piercing shop in Allentown. "Changing location can keep a show fresh and retain excitement in the event. The Sands has a whole list of things to offer the eventgoer. The Vision Bar has drink specials, and tattoo contests, DJs and live music are offered throughout the day. The Sands Event Center also has the mall, food court, restaurants of varying price points, and an ultra-modern day care, all under one roof. And of course the casino is there, too. With this move, Skindustry Expo is the tattoo social event for the valley. Period."

Seth Zuber, who works with Lemak at The Quillian, says the expo is a great chance to get like-minded people together.

"And we truly get all kinds," he says. "People who are really into tattoos, people who are interested and want to find out more about the process, even families with kids."

More than 100 artists from all over the country, and as far away as France, will be inking away in 72 booths, putting their artistic skills on display. And forget the nightmare scenario of tattoos gone wrong — these artists are the real deal.

Among this year's artists are some Lemak calls "monsters in the industry," including John Barrett of Georgia; Nicholas Keiser of Royersford, Montogomery County, and Robert Kane of Boston. Also participating is a show favorite, Alexis Kovacs of Bethlehem.

"Her talent landed her on the Oxygen network's first season of 'Best Ink,'" he says. "She tattoos around the world."

Each day of the expo includes the popular "Tattoo of the Day" contest, in which the freshly inked can enter to show off the work they've just had done. And if you have a tattoo you're particularly proud of that wasn't done that day, there are tattoo contests for you too. The weekend also features live music, an art show and charity raffle.

For the past few years, Skindustry has raised money for various charities. Last year, it raised $4,570 for Shriners Hospitals for Children — Philadelphia, which is the charitable recipient again this year.

For the tattoo artists, this is more than just a day for them to line up a few appointments; it's their chance to really show off their skills.

"The trend has been that these classically trained artists get out of art school, and they don't want to do a desk job or do art as a starving artist, so they go into tattooing," Zuber says. Artists at the expo will have the opportunity to showcase their portfolios for people to admire, or choose from for their new ink. Some of the expo's artists already have appointments lined up during the show.

"You see a lot of tattoo artists on TV, and people think that because they're on TV, they're great, but that's not necessarily the case," Zuber says. "At an event like this, you get to see a portfolio of their work, and really see up close what they can do."

The days of tattoos so old and faded they're barely recognizable from what they once were are gone, as inks and technology — not to mention the skill of the tattoo artists — have increased so much.

"This is about the third great renaissance of tattooing I've seen just during my career," says Lemak, who started his career as a tattoo artist after friends started asking him to design theirs. "There are always a few shining stars who take it to the next level, but these days the level of art involved is just mind blowing. The amount of effort and care that's gone into the craft has dramatically increased."

While a person can still get a great tattoo at any walk-in studio, Lemak says, those who pride themselves on creating detailed, high-quality tattoos are increasingly in demand, as tattoo aficionados are becoming more particular about their body art.

The process starts, of course, with an idea. And it's important that the customer be very clear with the tattoo artist about what he or she wants. Whether they come in with a drawing, ask the artist to create one for them, or choose from something in the artist's portfolio, the first step to a great tattoo is communicating.

"I can only speak for myself, but one of the worst things is for a customer to vaguely try to explain what they want, then end with 'I don't know. Do you know what I mean?' And the answer is 'No, I can't read your mind,'" Lemak says. "Use clear words, be specific about what you want. And don't try to communicate it in an email or a text — it's worth a few minutes of face time in the studio to make sure you'll get what you want. A tattoo is permanent. Yes, there are a few escape hatches, but they're not painless and they're not free."

The reason people invest so much time and creativity into their tattoos is because they're not only permanent, they're personal.

"For most tattoo collectors, there's a significant meaning attached to each of their tattoos," said Zuber, who has one tattoo memorializing his grandfather. "It's a form of self-expression through the skin, and it's something they're going to want to show off for the rest of their lives."

And that goes for those who opt for their first ink later in their lives as well.

"A couple of months ago, we did a tattoo for an 80-something year old grandmother," Zuber says. "It was her first, and she loved it."

Lemak says tattoos are powerful.

"It can make you cool, it can make you sexy, it can make you an outsider or one of the team, it can remind you of something important in your life, it can be for religious reasons, personal reasons, or memory reasons," he says. "Unlike other body modifications, like dying your hair or painting your nails, a tattoo lasts forever. A tattoo is one of the most powerful things a person can do for themselves."